{"id":228,"date":"2018-05-16T23:06:10","date_gmt":"2018-05-16T21:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.prikanowski.nl\/swcp\/?p=228"},"modified":"2018-05-31T20:50:25","modified_gmt":"2018-05-31T18:50:25","slug":"20180516-minehead-porlock-weir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devoortsoftware.nl\/swcp\/20180516-minehead-porlock-weir\/","title":{"rendered":"20180516 Minehead – Porlock Weir"},"content":{"rendered":"

Date: 20180516<\/p>\n

Time:\u00a09:00 – 18:00<\/p>\n

Distance: 25.8 km<\/p>\n

Stay:\u00a0The Bottom Ship, Porlock Weir<\/p>\n

Walk<\/h4>\n

The first walk of the South West Coast Path goes from Minehead to Porlock Weir. After a real English breakfast I start on time. But first Minehead in order to replenish the stocks (water and fruit bars).<\/p>\n

\"\"Then back to the beginning of the path. Here I ask another hiker if he wants to take a picture of me and the sculpture. This is more or less obligatory when you walk the South West Coast Path \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Then the walk really starts (although I have already walked more than 2 kilometers). I pass the Old Ship Aground and then head out of Minehead. The first part goes through the woods and immediately uphill, along the coast. After a while I can choose to make a small detour along Burgundy Chapel. Of course I do this and that results in a visit to the ruin of a chapel and then a very steep climb up to get back on the path.<\/p>\n

\"\"Once back on the path, it goes up a little further to North Hill Viewpoint. Here I have a nice view. Just a pity that it is very cloudy.<\/p>\n

A bit further I have to make a decision, I can take the easy inland route or the rugged version along the coast. Of course I go for the least easy option and opt for the Rugged Coast Path.<\/p>\n

The Rugged Coast Path is a beautiful route that goes up and down the hills along the coast. I can often see far ahead against the next hill slope where I am going to walk (after I have first gone down and up again).<\/p>\n

Eventually the Rugged Coast Path comes back together with the normal route. Almost immediately there is another possibility to make a detour to a viewpoint, Hurlstone Combe. Again I decide to take that route and after walking a bit over a wide path and then through a narrow path through the bushes, I arrive there. One has a nice view over Porlock and the coast from here.<\/p>\n

\"\"At the top, I meet a Danish woman who is listening carefully. She makes recordings of the tides and is looking for the best point to do so. We chat for a while and after I walk a bit further to the rocky point, I go down through the bushes on a very steep path. The path is so narrow and overgrown that I regularly doubt whether there is a path at all. But every time a route shows as I continue.<\/p>\n

\"\"Eventually I end up on the South West Coast Path again. The next part is a relaxed track along a small stream. At Bossington I cross the stream and it’s time for a break at the famous Kitnors Tearoom and Gardens<\/a>. This is located in a very nice cottage, but very small inside. It is so small that the toilet is at the car park of the village.
\nSince this is a tea room, they have no beer. So that pint will have to wait until later. I adapt to my environment and order a cream tea with a fruit scone. Since I have no idea how to drink \/ eat that, it is good that there were no witnesses. I later looked into how you should behave with a cream tea and I think that any witnesses would have been shocked about the way I dealt with the scone, the jam, the cream and the tea \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"\"Because I am in Bossington well in time, I decide to do an extra walk inland to Allerford and Selworthy. This is also a very nice route with nice views on the hills in this area. Both villages are very small and picturesque with a number of nice cottages. In Selworthy I walk to the church with a very old cemetery. Most tombstones are hardly or not legible anymore.
\nVia another route I return to Bossington and pick up the Coast Path.<\/p>\n

\"\"On the outskirts of Bossington, at Bossington Farm, I buy a bottle of natural apple juice at the side of the road. My water starts to run out and natural apple juice seems a nice replacement to me. It actually is and the next few miles I empty the bottle.<\/p>\n

\"\"The next miles go through the Marsch, an area that regularly floods at high tides. This is actually a little boring. However, there are some impressive dead trees. Eventually I come all the way to the coast and there the path goes over stones. This is not nice walking and I am happy when I can go up to the road.<\/p>\n

\"\"Just a little bit further along the road and I reach Porlock Weir. I’m looking for The Bottom Ship<\/a>, but I only find The Ship Inn. This is however what I am looking for. The name confusion arose because Porlock and Porlock Weir both have a Ship Inn. Porlock Weir’s is called the Bottom Ship by everyone and Porlock’s the Top Ship.<\/p>\n

After I have checked in (my bags are already in my room), it is time for a pint of IPA and then for a shower.<\/p>\n

All in all a very successful first day on the South West Coast Path.<\/p>\n

Weather<\/h4>\n

The weather was actually fine today. Although rain was predicted, only a few drops fell. Actually not worth mentioning. Because rain was predicted, I did put on my raincoat. That was very warm. In retrospect, I had better put on my light jacket.<\/p>\n

It was pretty cloudy all day. As a result, little of the view was seen in various places (especially on (North Hill).<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t

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